Art & Design Community Outreach Overview

The Art & Design Department performs various forms of community outreach in the Joliet area. Since 2002, the department has ran a summer arts camp (offering financial scholarships) for area children and young adults. Specifically, these art camps are designed to introduce kindergarten to 8th grade students to the visual arts, focusing primarily upon the studio arts. Classes are taught by department faculty and student teacher candidates. The course material covers a wide arrange of topics (e.g., ceramics, drawing, painting, and art fundamentals).

Secondly, the department hosts the Joliet Region High School Arts Competition and Exhibition. Each year, the top art students in the area present their work in the university’s City Center Gallery. Cash awards and scholarships are awarded to students interested in studying in the Art & Design Department at USF.

Thirdly, the department has worked with the Joliet Diocese to organize a K-8th grade art experience. Students interacted, studied, and worked with students and the faculty during the autumn of 2014 in a joint effort to introduce area students to the visual arts.

Finally, students studying in Art & Design have taught courses at Our Lady of Angels Community Center, produced graphic design projects for various area businesses (e.g., Lifestyles Magazine) and non-for-profit agencies (e.g., Joliet/Will County Project Pride), and hosted area art events for a wide range of local entities.